spir-i-tu'-ni-ty: spiritual opportunities which call us to grow, create, and self-express on the authentic path; where spirit and opportunity meet

Friday, March 22, 2013

Inspiration

The sage Patanjali, the compiler of the Yoga Sutras, once said, "When you are inspired by some great purpose, some extraordinary project, all your thoughts break their bounds: Your mind transcends limitations, your consciousness expands in every direction and you find yourself in a new, great and wonderful world...and you discover yourself to be a greater person by far than you ever dreamed yourself to be."

As we reach toward and grow into our authentic selves, we sometimes have to remind ourselves that just as we need nourishment physically, we also need to supplement ourselves spiritually. We need a divine diet of enthusiasm to inspire us along the way. The root word of "enthusiasm" in the ancient Greek is "entheos," literally "in God." Interestingly, the word "inspiration" means literally "to breathe in and be filled with the spirit of God." So, when we are inspired and enthused, we are breathing in Spirit that motivates us to begin anew in life, especially if we are to be productive, thriving, authentic, spiritual beings.

We all depend on inspiration in our lives, that flow of energy that moves through us when we tune into our higher selves. We find ourselves creating without effort, be it writing, painting, singing, dancing, crafting, folding laundry, or cleaning. What an amazing gift to us. Because of this gift, each day becomes enhanced and enriched; our days and our existence takes on deeper meaning.

If you are feeling blocked, ask yourself what generates enthusiasm in your life. Sometimes we have to do some soul-searching and inner questioning to discover this answer. We can also look to other sources like books, people, music, art, and nature for inspiration. Usually, when we get out of our own way, inspiration and enthusiasm step in, breathing life into us once again.

Get To Know Me

Penny McDaniel is a spiritual teacher, educator, theologian, and author/writer even though she finds titles limiting. She believes life is filled with what she calls "spiritunities", spiritual opportunities that call us to growth, creativity, and self-expression.